Momma always said to wear clean underwear
the old man in the hat
Mother’s Day in our part of the woods always seems so appropriate with our surroundings springing to new life and new sounds. The budding of the trees, tulips pushing up through dark earth and the cacophony of returning songbirds announcing spring’s arrival. New life, New beginnings and a New Day. Spring has sprung and to honour this event we choose to publicly recognize mothers, the givers of life.
Modern mothers live at a time in our history where the demands on motherhood are unprecedented. Not so long ago, being a “mom” was job enough. Today’s mother does not only have to fill her “traditional role”(but let’s face it, no mom is traditional) but be superwoman, supermom- wife, mother, lover, CEO, caregiver etc.etc.etc..
There are so many demands on 21st century women that it is a wonder that they even bother to take time to make more of us. In fact, more women are making the choice not to have children. The current birth rate of 1.58 births/woman is below the replacement rate of 2.1 births/woman that we need to maintain our population. Under the current birth trends our population will decline over time as there will be fewer and fewer women becoming moms.
With this statistic in mind, we should celebrate those women who become MOMS.
I think it is an oddity of the human condition that we perceive that life begins with us. That Mom’s existence was created by us and for us. In celebrating mothers I think the hardest thing to appreciate is the fact that our mothers had another life before us. After my father’s death I inherited a number of items including photos and personal papers that I did not recall as ever seeing when I was growing up. Letters from male friends, not my father! Who knew that my mother had other admirers? Photos of handsome young men, with cryptic remarks scribbled on the back. Souvenirs of places visited but not discussed. The secret life of MOM!
However, after crossing the threshold of motherdom there is no going back. There is no expiry date on motherhood. My wife encountered a mother in her late 70’s who appeared to be having a bad day. On inquiring, she told her that her 60 year child was going through a divorce and she was worrying about how he was going to manage. You are never too old to have a MOM worrying about you!
My mother passed away on Mother’s Day 2001. It is a special day for me, not one of mourning loss but a celebration of all that she has given me. If you have a MOM take the time to say thanks, whether it be a visit, a card or a phone call. You know she will say thanks to you.
